


The Girl with the Black Pearl Earrings

by AmadeusRex



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Axel and Roxas are chickens, Ear Piercings, Family Bonding, Family Dynamics, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Xion and Isa getting along, post-kh3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:54:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22732099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmadeusRex/pseuds/AmadeusRex
Summary: Xion gets her ears pierced, and bonds with Isa along the way.Written forMemoría: A Xion Zine!
Relationships: Isa & Lea & Roxas & Xion (Kingdom Hearts), Isa & Xion (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 54





	The Girl with the Black Pearl Earrings

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for [Memoría: A Xion Zine](https://twitter.com/xionzine?)! I had so much fun writing this, an ode to my favorite KH character of all time! Xion's been my Number 1 ever since I first got into KH 10 years ago, when I first played 358/2 Days. It's been such a joy to watch the love for her grow over the past few years!
> 
> The inspiration behind this piece was me thinking that Xion deserves to accessorize. Let her wear earrings, and pearls from the sea at that! When I thought about who would take her, I decided that Isa was the best choice because he has his ears pierced. (Lea does not because, as we will see, he is a weenie.)
> 
> I am admittedly a bit antagonistic toward Saïx because of how he treated Xion...so another part of my motivation for this piece was writing the two of them getting along, so that I could warm myself up to Isa. It worked, so I am all set for KH4 when the Sea Salt Trio + Isa are shown as a unit, haha!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this little story!

“How do you think I’d look with my ears pierced?” Xion tucks her hair behind both ears and pinches her earlobes.

“I think you’d look great! Black studs would look _sooo_ cute with your outfit,” Olette says. She sighs. “I wish my parents would let me get my ears pierced.”

“Why don’t you come with me? We can get them pierced right now!” Xion takes Olette’s hands and bounces on the balls of her feet, but Olette gives her a sad look.

“We need a parent’s permission, Xion. Otherwise, Hayner would have pierced one of his a long time ago!”

They both laugh and continue to admire the jewelry on display. All the odd jobs in town couldn’t pay for even the cheapest piece in the store, but Xion can dream. As Olette stares at an aquamarine ring, Xion’s eyes wander to a pair of black pearl earrings. She remembers reading about pearls, how they’re formed inside oysters when something hurts inside them. They’re beautiful to her, little symbols of healing. Something beautiful made in the face of pain.

That night, Xion springs the question on Axel and Isa at the dinner table.

“Can I get my ears pierced?”

Axel freezes with his fork halfway to his mouth. “Xion, are you sure about that? You’re—”

Isa cuts him off. “I’ll take you. I think you’ll look great with earrings.” He smiles at Xion.

It’s still weird for Xion to look at Isa. She keeps expecting a glare and curt words from him every time they speak, but instead he is kind and caring. When he smiles, she finds him unrecognizable, but she appreciates his warmth all the same.

Still, a question strikes Xion: why did he agree so easily? Axel seemed like he was going to say no until Isa interrupted him, but it was usually Isa who shot down any wild ideas. As she thinks of reasons why, her eyes stray from Isa’s face. Eventually, she notices the stud shining on his earlobe. Had that always been there? It probably had been, just hidden behind a curtain of hair. After all, it wasn’t until recently that she started looking anywhere other than his feet.

She follows her train of thought for a moment more, and realizes that Isa’s earrings must mean a lot to him if he was willing, without a second thought, to take Xion to get her own.

“Thanks, Isa!” She grins, then turns to Roxas. “Did you hear that? I’m going to get my ears pierced!”

“That’s great, Xion! I’ve actually been thinking about getting mine pierced, too….” He looks at Isa. “Can I come with?”

It’s Axel who responds. “Whoa, whoa, Roxas! Are you sure? This is a big deal, you and Xion should think about this first—”

Isa cuts him off once again. He gives Axel a look that is exasperated, yet fond.

“Lea, I think we should let _them_ decide whether they want to do this or not. What, are you still scared of getting yours done, more than ten years later?”

Axel recoils at the question. Xion looks between his betrayed look and Isa’s smile, wondering what happened between them. Was Axel a secret scaredy-cat…?

Whatever the case, by the end of dinner, it’s settled that Isa will take Xion and Roxas to get their ears pierced the next week.

* * *

Soon enough, the promised day arrives, and Xion bounces with excitement as Isa pushes the door to the piercing salon open for her. She waits for what feels like an eternity as Isa fills out the paperwork for both her and Roxas, so she decides to kill time by looking at the earrings on display.

“Roxas, what do you think of those?” Xion points out a pair of black pearl earrings. They’re smaller than the ones she’d seen with Olette, but just as lovely; the luxury earrings were too big for Xion’s taste anyway.

“I like them,” Roxas says, smiling. “They’ll match your dress.”

Xion laughs at that, and Roxas becomes flustered, asking why.

“Because you’re so cute! It’s so like you to just state the obvious, but it’s sweet.” She giggles again, then turns back to the display case. “Which ones do _you_ like?

Roxas hums. After a moment of thinking, he points out a pair of hoop earrings, snug against the display ear and just wide enough for a black stripe to run down the center of the silver surface.

“I like those. Small and cool, but people are still gonna notice them!”

It’s then that Isa comes up behind Roxas and Xion. “It’s time to choose your earrings. Make sure to pick something made of gold or surgical steel.”

Roxas pouts. “But I wanted those….” He points at the hoops. Isa takes one look at them and laughs.

“Those are white gold, Roxas. Gold comes in different colors, you know.” He smiles and turns to Xion. “What about you? Do you know which earrings you want?”

Xion nods. “Those, right there, the black pearls.” She points them out

Isa leans in to read the card next to the earrings. He squints and gives a thoughtful hum before straightening up again and turning to Xion. “I think they’re lovely,” he says. “Just so you know, they’re a little on the expensive side, but that’s okay. If you like them, then they’re worth every last munny.”

Xion’s heart swells. She doesn’t know what to say— _is_ there anything to say?—so she hugs Isa, surprising even herself.

“Thank you,” she mumbles into his jacket. She feels the rumble of Isa’s laugh, layered over the beating of his heart against her ear. He strokes her hair, and it’s comforting.

“You’re very welcome, but don’t we have something to do?”

“Oh, right!” Xion pulls away from Isa. “Sorry about that.”

“You don’t need to apologize.” Isa offers one more smile to Xion before calling over his shoulder. “Roxas, you and Xion need to decide who’s going first.”

Roxas is frantically typing on his Gummiphone. “Just a second, I—” He drops it, and Xion sees that he was texting Axel. Roxas scoops his phone up from the floor and wipes the screen before putting it back in his pocket.

“Roxas, are you okay?” Xion takes a closer look at him and notices hints of nervousness in his expression. “Do you want me to go first?”

Roxas nods, and Xion goes off into another room with Isa and the piercer. As she settles into the chair and has her ears marked, Xion realizes her leg is bouncing up and down. She stops it, only for the bouncing to start up again the moment her mind wanders. Suddenly, Isa puts a hand on hers.

“There’s no shame in backing out,” he says. “We can leave if you’re uncomfortable.”

Xion hears the warmth in his voice, sees the kindness in his eyes, and knows that he’s being honest. In that moment, she realizes that Isa really _does_ care about her; the man holding her hand is not at all the same person Saïx was.

She shakes her head. “No, I’m fine. Just excited, is all!” She smiles, and Isa pats her hand before stepping back.

As the piercer prepares her tools and Xion’s ears, she explains what’s about to happen. Xion listens intently, then braces herself as the piercer tells her to take a deep breath.

“Three…two...one…!”

A pinch, and Xion’s shoulders jolt up. But there’s no pain after that, just a bit of shifting as the needle moves and the earring is maneuvered into her ear. The other side goes just as smoothly, and Xion’s admiring herself in the mirror before she knows it.

The pearls have a purple undertone in the harsh studio lighting, she notices. They gleam in her ears, and she makes a note to start wearing headbands more often to keep her hair out of the way.

As soon as the aftercare lecture is over, Xion bounds out of the piercing room and into Roxas.

“Roxas, Roxas, look! Aren’t they so pretty?” She tucks her hair behind her ears, her grin reaching all the way across her face.

“They’re awesome, Xion…” Roxas says, clearly unenthusiastic, but Xion can tell his mood has nothing to do with her.

“Huh? What’s wrong?” Xion tilts her head to the side and thinks for a minute before coming to the conclusion that—

“I’m scared!” Roxas admits. “I’m scared. I don’t think I can do this, Xion. I’m a chicken.”

“Like Axel! You and Axel can be the Chicken Club, and me and Isa’ll be the Cool Kids Club!” A flip of Xion’s hair emphasizes her point. “But really, if you’re scared, that’s okay. There’s no shame in backing out,” she tells him, not realizing she’s quoting Isa.

“Yeah, I might do that, it’s just….” Roxas sucks air between his teeth. “I wanted to one-up Axel.”

Laughter ensues, but not just from Xion. Isa is laughing too, from a few feet away. Roxas flushes in embarrassment.

“H-Hey! I really wanted to get my ears pierced, but then I saw the needle, and now I’m not so sure!” He rubs the back of his head, and suddenly he’s the spitting image of Axel. This is not lost on Isa, who laughs again.

“Don’t worry, Roxas, we can leave now. Just let me finish paying.”

* * *

Munny changes hands, and it’s not long before Xion and her entourage are home. She’s the first one in the door, kicking her shoes off in her haste to get inside and show her earrings off.

“Axel, Axel! Look, look!” Xion walks right in front of the TV to ensure that she’s noticed. “Do you like them?”

“Looking good, Xion,” Axel responds, giving her a thumbs-up. “How’d it go? Pretty smooth, I’m guessing?”

“Yeah! It was nothing, but Roxas chickened out, just like you!”

“Hey, now, that’s a low blow! No way Roxas backed out, right?” Axel looks over his shoulder at Roxas, who’s staring wordlessly at the ground. “Aw, man. Look, Roxas, it’s okay!” Axel gets up to comfort him. As they talk, Xion walks up to Isa.

“Thanks again, Isa,” she says. “I really appreciate it. I’m so happy with how they came out!”

Isa smiles. “You’re welcome, Xion. If you’re happy, I’m happy.”

Xion feels her heart fill with light. All words are lost to her, so she hugs Isa for the second time that day, her arms tight around his middle. He hugs her back, and everything is warm and bright. She pulls away after a few moments and beams up at Isa, an idea having just struck.

“Hey, how about getting matching earrings once I can change mine?”

Isa ruffles her hair. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. Let’s make sure you get through these next two months first, alright?

His words may sound stern, but Xion sees the smile on his face and knows that he’ll always be there to help her; not just with her ears, but with anything and everything she might need from now on.

She nods.

“Alright!”


End file.
